Five Times Peter Called Tony Dad
by SilverInTheGalaxy
Summary: After the events of Homecoming, Tony has suddenly been very stalker-ish to what Peter's doing and constantly checking in with him or inviting him over. It's driving Peter nuts, but Tony might get an odd reaction from his new habits. OR The five times Peter called Tony Dad and the one time Tony called Peter his Son Also posted on AO3
1. Chapter 1

It's been a long time since I've done anything and really I have no excuse. So I'm here with a smaller project to tackle while I proceed to continue on much bigger ones at a slower pace.

I've read other fics pertaining to the concept of a character does five things and then one thing opposite to the others. For me, I would like to attempt at this idea, which will hopefully be half decent as my second story- if you could call it that- on . Anyway, onto the little drabbles of sorts. Oh, before I forget, I won't mention Aunt May knowing Peter is Spider-Man, because I'm unsure how her reaction would be- I mean I could write something about that, but the focus of this story is about Peter and Tony...

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Chapter 1- Accidental Title:

The school bell droned to signify the end of lessons, which resulted in a stampede of teenage bodies clambering over each other to reach their lockers and escape the building. Peter, however, decided to leave at a much slower pace; he walked to his locker with a frown gracing his facial features: thoughts consuming his mind and distracting him from his surroundings. The Vulture had been taken to prison, Liz had moved to Oregon and Mr. Stark received his property with nothing missing. After declining a place on the Avengers, Peter thought that his life would even out and Mr. Stark would fire him from the internship, but Peter supposed his luck was as random as a spinning wheel on those game shows- if it isn't rigged, he pondered absent-mindedly. In fact, Mr. Stark had not just continued to allow him to work for him, but he had given Peter a lot more trust and respect: Peter was now allowed to assist in the lab and accompany Iron Man on smaller missions. The whole mentor gig seemed to be a reality now that Mr. Stark had seen his potential while he'd fought the Vulture. The only downside to Peter's independence was that Mr. Stark seemed to have adopted a stalker-ish nature and checked up on Peter- or randomly invited him over- rather frequently; the gesture was nice, Mr. Stark was simply looking out for him, but on the other hand it was driving Peter crazy.

As Peter was on his way home, a black limo pulled over to the side. The windows were tinted, which must have been illegal, but then again on the side of the vehicle was the Stark Industries crest- no need to be suspicious he guessed to who owned the limo. Releasing a sigh of annoyance under his breath, Peter attempted to ignore the car and continue on his previous path home. A car's horn sounded off and Peter twisted round with a startled expression, his gaze now locked onto the obsidian tinted windows of the limo's driver seat. The interior of the vehicle was now exposed- due to the fact that the window had been drawn open- revealing a disgruntled looking Happy. Judging by his expression, Peter opted to discard his earlier attempts at a quiet evening with his Aunt and begrudgingly he made his way to the back seat- albeit cautious of people noticing him enter a Stark Industries car. Upon seating himself, Peter was greeted to an excited Mr. Stark- sun glasses removed and business suit ruffled. A thought slipped to the front of his mind: 'he kinda reminds me of a puppy- wait, isn't that what Aunt May told me three days ago when I explained that me and Ned finally finished the Lego Death Star?' Expelling the randomness from his head, Peter returned his attention to what Mr. Stark was purposing: "Kid, I have this idea to improve your suit and I wanna see you try it out. Of course, it's been programmed to a newer version to your's just in case I need to work out some kinks." He paused drawing for breath as he signalled for Happy to drive into the flow of traffic. "I mean, I don't want to spoil the surprise so I can't spill which really pisses me off! Oh hey, don't you want to add some of your ideas to the suit? You said you had some last week Peter, but you didn't mention what they were." That was correct, Peter did have a few features of his own that he'd wanted to add even before Tony and made me a new suit. Technology restrictions because of his age and the finances required to install new gadgets restricted Peter- but when he and Mr. Stark were talking in the lab, Peter decided to voice his desire to improve upon his suit. Mr. Stark was thrilled to lend a hand, but Peter was unable to stay any longer at that time due to the time on his watch.

Stuttering out a response while also producing papers filled with unsteady handwriting and complex doodles, Peter felt his cheeks heat up at the sudden attention diverted to himself: " I- err- brought some of my c-concept designs th-that I've been working on f-for the past year, of course s-some of the features y-you've already m-managed to insert into m-my suit, so- err- you c-can just g-gloss over those." He continued to ramble on in a nervous haze, blushing as Mr. Stark gazed at him with a small smile and amusement evident in his eyes. Talking to your childhood idol- heck Mr. Stark still was Peter's idol, even at fifteen- was as nerve racking as taking your exams! And, even though he had been working alongside Mr. Stark for four months, Peter can't comprehend the reality in front of him. The fact that Peter is sitting and talking to the Tony Stark- Billionaire philanthropist playboy and superhero- is humbling and at the same time intimidating. "Alright Kiddo, let's have a look at your ideas then," handing the papers over to Mr. Stark, Peter shrunk into himself waiting on baited breath on what his mentor would say. Processing multiple possible outcomes swarmed Peter's mind, many consisting of negative consequences which would result in embarrassment on Peter's behalf and possible disappointment on Tony's. Feeling his awkward silence, Peter turned to face to the tinted windows and peered at the scenery passing by at a steady speed; sluggishly gazing at all the other cars beside him in the opposite lane and the pedestrians sauntering to their destinations. Every so often his eyes would drift to Tony in an attempt to glimpse at his reaction, but just as Peter would think Mr. Stark would notice, he would divert back to the outside world; Peter guessed that Tony was aware of his nervous behaviour and hoped that Tony was simply ignoring it. The shuffling of papers made the hair on Peter's neck stand on end in anticipation and the silence seemed to be suffocating- no amount of reassurance from Peter's mind would quell the onslaught of negativity bombarding his skull in a constant thrum. His need to prove himself to Mr. Stark was best explained as confusing and natural; he didn't want to disappoint Mr. Stark after the Vulture fiasco and the fact Mr. Stark hadn't given up on him yet meant that he still had the chance to impress him with his combat skills and his education. Peter Parker didn't want to be viewed as the 'kid from Queens' but as someone who the Avengers could respect- perhaps not as an equal due to an age difference, but respect the fact that they're all superheroes and can work together at some point. Hey, Peter wouldn't mind being mentored by any of the rogue Avengers- as long as they didn't teach him how to kill, he was fine about being taught a few useful tips by Hawkeye or Captain America!

The blare of the car horn jolted Peter from his thoughts as he flinched at the sudden sound; "What the fuck are you doing!? Get off the road you drunk bastard!" Happy snarled as he veered sharply away from a speeding vehicle. Gripping the car seat, Peter blanched before the car righted itself in its own lane and clenched his eyes shut in an attempt to calm his rapidly beating heart. "Wow, Happy please keep it PG we have minors in the car," Mr. Stark stated, a hint of mirth oozing from his lips.  
"'m not a kid!" Peter quipped, glaring daggers at Tony as he burst into light chuckles.

"Whatever you say, Kiddo. Anyway, I've read through them and I think some of these could actually work." Perking up from the praise, Peter began to excitedly babble, too distracted that the car had stopped and he was now being led along by Tony. When he was seated once more, Peter took a moment to process his surroundings. The walls were white, but not the white-washed colour Peter had been familiar with around the Avengers Facility. Which suggested, Peter guessed, that he was currently in Tony's private lab. He'd been allowed to work with Tony in his private lab many times, but each time he entered, he was left speechless and often pondered how his life had changed so drastically; he remembers merely a year ago receiving the spider bite and hitting petty crime in its obnoxiously ugly face! To think that he would be recruited for the Avengers!?- his younger self would reject such a possibility and laugh for the next five months, but alas what was before him was reality and Peter thought it was only natural to be starstruck every time he thought about it.

"So, I adjusted the system where you can now have a holographic mini computer on by gloves, which will help you set your web shooter combinations and remotely control your spider drone. We can discuss your ideas now while you try on the suit." Tony gestured to the red and blue spider costume that hung directly in front of Peter. Taking the suit off the hook, Peter went into the separate room near by and changed his apparel. The uniform was as tight as ever, but Peter never minded because I needed the tight clothing to easily trapeze through combat and use his acrobatic skills. Of course, Mr. Stark altered the material so it didn't look like Peter was wearing pyjamas to a fight, but also not spandex. All Peter knew was that it was a light weight material that didn't tear easily.

Exiting the room with his new suit on, Peter began to test out the newest feature: the mini computer providing a huge bonus to his Spider-Man arsenal. He could even browse the internet on the holographic device! Mr. Stark, however, insisted that Peter allow him to check for bugs on the system and install the correct safety precautions before it could be fully implemented into the Spidey suit. Bummer. Although, Mr. Stark had suggested that they work on some of Peter's ideas so that once the computer was fully operational, Spider-Man would also have a bonus package. The logic behind it was solid, but Peter still felt disappointed to the fact that he couldn't get any upgrades before his next patrol. 'Chance throws peculiar conditions in everyone's way. If we apply intelligence, patience and special vision, we are rewarded with new creative breakthroughs. -Walter Bradford Cannon'. Peter remembered that particular quote due to his engineer teacher spouting about in his lessons, frequently mentioning the dude who said the quote and why. His teacher said he should learn the meaning of the quote and to import into life. Look, he just did it, tick that off of the unimportant life skills checklist. Speaking of 'checking' something, glancing at the time, Peter realised that he hadn't informed his Aunt May that he'd be late home- again. "Err- excuse me , but I gotta t-tell Aunt May that I-I'm stayin' a little longer!" He hurriedly fished for his phone from the depths of his school bag- as Mr. Stark waved his hand absent-mindedly- and began to dial the familiar number. Chewing the bottom of his lip, Peter waited impatiently for Aunt May to pick up. "Peter, honey, you've got to tell me when you're staying out late. You know I worry!" her fretting voice echoed into Peter's ear making him wince apologetically, even if she couldn't see his expression. "Yeah, I know Aunt May and I'm sorry, Mr. Stark wanted me to start work right away." Dissimulated with guilt lacing his words. Mr. Stark raised an eyebrow at his poor excuse, but otherwise continued with his task. "Oh, I hope he's not over working you, sweetie if you want me to talk to him I will." She replied with a hint of malice gracing her speech. Tony visibly paled from his position at the work bench. Peter stifled a giggle by clamping a palm to his lips, successfully making May suspicious: "Something funny you're watching there, Pete?"

"Err- yeah... o-obviously! Anyway, I think Mr. Stark is calling me, I gotta go, see ya bye!" Releasing a sigh of release, Peter turned to face Tony, "what?" he feigned innocence for the sake of it. Mr. Stark shook his head fondly, a small smile appearing on his face; "Hey, let's get back to work OK?" His voice was calm and relaxed as he waited for Peter to sit adjacent to him and he began to work on his own little gadgets.

As they both continued to work on their own personal projects time seemed to flow over them and before any of them could protest FRIDAY interrupted their bickering over which material would work best, "Sir, it would be best if Mr. Parker made his way home now before his Aunt decides to call directly." The artificial intelligence's voice reminded flatly, but Peter could identify the complex amount of emotion being processed through the speakers. Tony slumped in his chair, a pout forming on his mouth as he confirmed the time on his computer. "Aww, can't Peter stay a little bit longer!" Peter was suddenly reminded of a child when they ask for their friends to stay the night.  
I wouldn't advice that sir, Mrs. Parker is already concerned about her nephew's health. If you wish, I can attempt to organise a date for Mr. Parker to visit on Sunday." The AI suggested politely. Great, an AI just arranged a play date for Peter to visit the Tony Stark.  
"Why not tomorrow? Saturday's always the best!" Tony retorted heatedly.

"May I remind you sir that Mr. Parker needs to finish the projects he has been assigned by his school and to socialise with his friends and family." Peter could tell that the argument had been won judging by the silence produced by Mr. Stark. He marked a point on the imaginary tally. One point to FRIDAY, while Tony lags at zero, catch up next time to see who wins again! Tony scowled to himself, releasing a huff of air: "Fine! But, if I don't see Peter by Sunday, I will personally kidnap him from whatever activity he would be doing." He stated matter-of-factly. An image of Peter asleep and taking a shower while Mr. Stark lingered in the shadows wormed its way into his mind. He shuddered involuntary. "As you wish Sir." The AI responded coolly. Well, at least that was sorted. Wait, did FRIDAY just agree to allow Mr. Stark to kidnap Peter? He blanched uncontrollably.

"Well, Kiddo, you heard FRIDAY, better scoot before your Aunt May decides to chew me out." Tony's voice poorly concealed his glum mood. Packing away his things, Peter listened patiently to Tony's speech on 'road safety' and 'don't talk to strangers' and 'when you see a mugging, change before tackling them'. Mr. Stark handed the papers back to Peter, praising them and continued his tirade about 'finding smart kids these days.'

"Alright, please don't go after some crazy super villian that somehow popped out of McDonald's and you 'accidentally' bumped into him making him drop his fires!" Tony rattled on trying to emphasise his point on protection, while also dangerously waving a wrench. Peter slung his bag over shoulder and strolled towards the elevator, "Yeah, yeah, I know Dad. I'm sure I can keep out of trouble on my way home." The elevator doors slid shut as he finished his sentence, leaving a dumb-struck Tony behind- his hand went slack allowing the wrench to clatter to the floor.

"D-did I just hear correctly, FRIDAY?"  
"Your new title?-" Tony dipped his head numbly "- Yes, would you like me to repeat the earlier conversation? Perhaps a DNA test to confirm this revelation?"  
"What!? He's not biologically mine!." He paused, pondering his next course of action. "Err- FRIDAY? Could you- do you think you could save that recording to my personal files?"

"Of course, Boss."

Pushing the door closed, Peter tip toed into the small apartment: attempting to enter the building in a discrete fashion. Hovering over towards the fridge, Peter began to search for a snack before high tailing it to bed. Forcing a pancake into his mouth, Peter swivelled around on the balls of his feet, lightly tapping the fridge door closed. He froze mid-stride as he noticed his Aunt with her arms crossed around her abdomen and a scowl marring her features. "Ah can explahn!" He mumbled in between mouthfuls of his food, his brows furrowed expressing apologetically with his hands.

"Oh, no you won't Mister, bed. Now!" she motioned to his bedroom door to which Peter slunk dejectedly. Flopping onto his bed, Peter contemplated the day's events. Twisting his head to face the ceiling, Peter recalled what he had dubbed Tony at the end of the evening. Dad. Smothering his growing blush with his arms, peter groaned dramatically. Of all the people to give the title to. Peter supposed he was OK with Mr. Stark being his father figure, but knowing Tony: he'd be sure to embarrass Peter whenever possible. Uncle Ben had done that to him numerous times before- before he passed. Even though it would mean replacing Ben in some way, Peter didn't mind allowing Tony to be called his Dad, even if he wasn't biologically. Heck, Uncle Ben was simply his Uncle and if Peter remembered anything about his late Uncle- which he certainly did- it would be that he would not be replaced, because Peter would still see him as his father figure. But now, he wasn't the only one.

Peter allowed a smile to grace his lips as he fell peacefully into slumber...

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You wouldn't believe it if I hadn't of told you, but I actually wrote this in one day. This is what motivation can do people! Oh, and the fact that this entire piece of fiction was written off the top of my head would be impressive, right? See, my mind decided to throw up words and this became the mess. It's a good mess, I assure you, at least I hope it is...

Anyway, I'd appreciate it if you could leave a comment, whether to simply state your enjoyment, point out some mistakes I made or suggest an idea for what I could present for the next chapter. Unfortunately, I don't have a schedule to run by, so updates might happen randomly- it all depends on my mood, inspiration and spur of the moment motivation, because everyone loves that! Until next time!

-Kyrani Ervin


	2. Chapter 2

Oh my lord, I never expected to get the feedback that came and the amount of helpful advice has blown me away! I've been motivated once more because of you lovely people! I also want to apologise for the late update, but- for some reason- I couldn't think of the words best to describe events like I did last time, so this took me a laborious amount of time- add onto the fact that I wanted to insert the advise people gave me. I really should of waited until I finished all the chapters before posting, but it's been done so you'll have to wait a few days or weeks between updates... Sorry.

I've had some suggestions for future chapters, which I'm really grateful for, and I'd wish to explore them! An idea for a sick Peter was contributed by Alana, which I couldn't resist- hopefully I did it some justice!

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Chapter 2: Unconscious Moniker 

Peter perched upon a ledge as he swept his gaze across the bustling city. His red and blue costume barely visible in the pale beams of moonlight filtering through the smog of dark grey clouds. The pupils of his mask were squinted as he strained his senses to pick up any disturbances to the ordinary surroundings below. Spider-Man's stiff frame hardly shifted as the wind brushed past him- the spider bite coming in handy when needing to stick to a surface...

The tingling sensation in the back of his skull alerted Peter to a threat near by; springing into action, he released a thread of webbing with a swift flick of his wrist. Twisting his body to trapeze across the city-scape, Peter searched for any suspicious activities. A bullet echoed through the buildings, allowing Peter to quickly locate its origin. Peter only hoped there were no casualties because he had left his bag at home, which meant he couldn't contact anyone if someone was hurt! Settling his body on a fire escape, Peter contemplated his next course of action. He had time to defuse the situation, because the bullet was simply an intimidation method. A warning shot. The people below were cowering from the multiple thugs as they waved their weapons. Observing from his concealed spot, he took into account the positions of the men and the weapons they had equipped: two by the exit with metal bats and a gun each, three towering over the civilians with metal poles and more guns. The last guy seemed to be over looking the entire scene. The ring leader, Peter guessed. A scowl formed on his face as he noticed the masks hiding the identities of the thugs. Damn!

Crawling silently down the fire escape, Spider-Man prepared to engage with the three men terrorising the pedestrians. Just as the guy in the middle lifted his metal pole, Spider-Man tucked his to fingers towards his wrist- activating the web shooters. As the material snagged on the weapon, he twisted his arm forcing the weapon out of the grasp of the bad guy and clatter at the vigilante's feet. "Uh, what the 'ell?" The middle dude startled, furrowing his brow as he stared at his empty hands. However, his companions faced Spidey.  
"Move it Bug, or we'll squash you!" The first thug hissed, his mask distorted to display his anger. Each of the men had a custom made mask on, although each had a theme with skulls sprayed onto the material- the only difference being the colour and shape of the skulls.  
"I don't particularly feel in the mood for being squashed, but if you let the people go I'm sure we can discuss an alternative," Spider-man suggested as he gave a nonchalant shrug. If he distracted them away from the hostages then maybe he could get them to safety.  
"Hey, d'you think we could wrap this up, I think I'm going to be late to bed and I still got Algebra homework to finish." He drawled out, casually fiddling with the metal pole while also pretending to gaze at a watch tied to his wrist.  
"Right that's it, boys let's teach this punk who's boss." One of the guys at the entrance began to stalk closer along with his other pal. As soon as the exit to the alley was open, the people scurried away like mice.  
"Look what you idiots did, you let them get away!"  
"This is all the Spider-Kid's fault!"  
"Err- excuse me but I am no kid, it's in the title. Spider-Man, no one seems to grasp the concept of the 'Man' part..." Spider-Man interrupted their bickering, readying himself by lowering his body into a crouching stance. Quickly firing a white streak towards the guns strapped to their hips, Spider-Man snaked his hand around the silver cord and tugged- forcing them to release their hold on the weapons

One of the thugs charged at him, raising a bat above his head- ready to swing down with force. Spider-Man's faithful Spider sense began to gnaw at his mind, driving him to flip backwards shooting a web at the guy who decided to sneak up behind him. Using him as an anchor, Spider-Man propelled his body around both men as the other guy crashed into his comrade: which resulted in Spidey wrapping both up and hanging them from the fire escape. Two down, four more to deal with! The three previously terrorising the people hesitantly took on defensive stances; Spider-Man decided to roll towards them, using his hands to spring up and kick the nearest one with both feet. Tying up the grounded guy, Spider-Man felt the familiar buzz, but couldn't react until the guy before him was secured; As he jumped into action, he was batted to the side- the wind knocked out of him in a gasp- by, who he assumed was, the leader. He tried to stand up, but a boot forced his face back to the ground; he grunted quietly. "This is what happens when you stop us from getting what we want. You coulda just left it, but no- incy wincy spider wanted to help!" a deep voice snarled from above, foot steps echoing in the alley. "Go back to bed brat, I'm sure it's way past your bed time." The mocking tone irritated Spider-Man as he discretely shifted his weight under the henchman's foot. Thrusting his foot into the guy above him, Spider-man was able to stun him and wrap him up along with the others. Turning to face the leader, he had to evade a knife being thrust towards his torso- the weapon only succeeded in slashing a cut through his skin. They continued the routine of dodge and stab for five more minutes, with Spider-Man sustaining cuts along his body- until, Spider-Man flushed the guy with a decent amount of web fluid. "That's what you need, time in the naughty corner!" he quipped while also addressing the police on the leader's discard phone.

"Ah man, I'm gonna be late home now!" He quickly exited the alley, attempted to attach some webbing to the nearest building. Key word: attempted. A wheezing sound vibrated from his left hand web-shooters, spluttering out white liquid substance; he aimed with his right hand, which resulted in the same choking effect. The web-shooters made it sound like they were dying, pathetic. "It's already past midnight and I left the rest of my web fluid cartridges at home, this day can't get any worse!" He growled as he began to crawl up the nearest wall. Just as he reached the roof top, a low rumble echoed across the city and drops of rain splattered against the concrete. Spider-Man grumbled incoherently. He sprang from the ledge he'd been situated on towards the opposite building and broke out into a run, vaulting across roofs at a quick pace- hurrying towards the closest destination as the rain pelted onto his thin frame. After repeating the process of bounding towards shelter, Spider-Man finally reached a familiar structure. The dim blue hue of the Avengers insignia illuminated against the night gloom. Entering through one of the open windows, Spider-Man tugged at his mask and discarded it on the nearest free surface- he then proceeded to collapse on the available sofa. A sniffle resonated from his shivering form. "H-hey FRIDAY, th-think you could t-tell Mr. Stark I'm h-here?" Peter inquired as his teeth chattered.  
"Of course, Mr. Parker, the Boss is currently in his workshop- would you like me to send him to your location?" The AI replied, a hint of concern laced around her words- of course, Peter didn't identify that as he struggled to stay conscious.  
"Tha' won't be necessary, thanks though," Peter mumbled quietly.

Tony tinkered on his newest project- which happened to be a modified version of his repulsers- trying to distract his mind from 'important' matters, or what Pepper deemed necessary. After admiring a set of code and a 3D model of the design on the holographic computer, Tony decided to save his progress to his personal Iron Man file and take a moment to prepare some coffee; stepping towards the mini kitchen in the lab, he turned on the radio and set it to a random channel- a new pop song filtered through the speakers at a reasonable volume. Propping his back against the smooth surface, Tony breathed onto the steaming mug and gingerly took a sip. Simply taking the time to relax was a rarity for Stark and not having to worry over the next wounded comrade relieved Tony some what: of course, with half the Avengers being chased down by the Government didn't ease his nerves and the fact that the whole 'Civil War' managed to break friendships and create new ones left Tony very exhausted from emotions. Emotions were too difficult, why didn't anybody leave a manual to figure them out!? Before Tony could delve too deep into the random thoughts that happened to have sprouted, FRIDAY intervened with: "Sir, Mr. Parker has arrived and is currently sleeping on the provided couches of the lounging area." Furrowing his brow in confusion, Tony inquired, "What's the kid doing here at half four in the morning?"  
"He has requested that I not send you up to him, however, he appears to have a high temperature- my senses spotted his elevated body heat when he entered the facility." The AI responded curtly, concealing her fretting poorly- in any other situation, Stark would have laughed at the surprisingly expressive AI fretting over a accident prone teen, he was too stunned to react and tease her over her report. Further confusion became evident as Tony discarded his coffee on the counter and approached the elevator in a hasty fashion.

Once the doors slid open, Tony emerged and made a bee-line for the lounge- hoping to find some solution to the oddness of Peter's late night appearance. He was taken aback by the scruffy teenager that was sprawled across the sofa, uniform soaked and hair mussed. Blood caked into the spider themed costume, as well as scratches marring his features. Striding over quietly, Tony bent over and placed the palm of his hand onto Peter's sweaty brow, feeling the heat radiate from his skin. "Geez Kid, where have you been?" He pondered to himself, not expecting a response.  
"There appears to be a thunder storm currently outside, Boss." FRIDAY conveniently replies as a clap of thunder rumbled from afar. Acknowledging the information, Tony gathered the nearest cloth and soaked it under a cool tap, located adjacent to the lounge area- the lounge area was situated in a large room that occupied a kitchen to the side and a dining table between the kitchen and the sofas. Consider the area a common room- and approached the slumbering teen. Draping the damp material onto the Kid's forehead, Tony readied a thermometer in case he awoke Peter- which, undoubtedly, he indeed did. The poor Kid bolted straight up, flailing about with his eyes- glazed over by sleep- darting everywhere in a startled, frenzied panic. "Eh, M-Mr. Stark, w-what are y-you doing, w-what's happaning!?" He spluttered out as he peeled off the cloth and stared at it, baffled.  
"Kid, calm down, you're at the compound on the sofa. Now, be very still and stick this in your mouth," before Peter could protest, the thermometer was forced to rest on his tongue. For a whole minute, Peter sat there in stunned silence as Tony sat across from him with a concentrated frown plastered to his face.

Removing the transparent stick, Mr. Stark focused intently at the results. Flushing anxiously, Peter leaned over to figure out the value measured by the crimson liquid substance, however, instead of his arms bracing his weight, they gave in and he toppled off the sofa with an almost silent thud. "Oh god, Peter are you all right!?" Mr. Stark scrambled to reposition Peter where he lay him down onto the couch. Peter hacked up a few coughs before he could apologise, his stomach churning uncomfortably. "That's it, I'm calling Aunt May," Mr. Stark stated, as he strode towards the phone. Frantically gliding his fingers across the screen, Mr. Stark pressured his thumb onto the call button and waited impatiently, tapping his foot in sync to the ring tone. Peter whimpered out pathetically, while he offered quiet- hopefully- soothing whispers.

"May, err- I think Peter's come down with something- err I don't think he eat anything rancid, at least he didn't mention that yet. I think it might be a tummy bug or a cold, but if it's all right with you, I think he should stay at the compound for a few days to recover. Oh no, that's fine, I'm sure I can manage. Uh-huh, thanks, I'll talk to you again when he's improved!" After ending the call, Tony began to pile any spare blankets and pillows onto the shivering teen; "uh, no, 't's too 'ot!" Peter complained, words slurred as he struggled to remove the material.

"Sorry Kiddo, this is for your own good." Tony reasoned, mind plagued by guilt as he forced the teen to still and relocated the pillows to support Peter's head. Tears edged Peter's eyes and Tony managed to view Peter as a vulnerable child. Of course, he'd known that when he involved Peter in Germany that he was really young and his puppy-like excitement enforced that view. But, seeing the Kid in so much pain and weak struck a cord in Tony's heart. Shushing him, Tony carded his fingers through the mop of brown hair in an attempt to calm the silently weeping kid. Luckily, Peter calmed down somewhat, so Tony managed to gather some more necessities such as: blankets and pillows for himself- what? He was gonna be there the Kid- a sick bucket, pain killers, a bucket of iced water and numerous flannels.

Turning to face the TV, Tony decided to flick through the channels to busy his mind, while also checking on Peter occasionally. Cringing, he kept the volume minimal as he heard the Kid sniffle and whimper as some action film made explosive sound effects too loud. Tony allowed the time drift by, while also convincing himself that the Kid wasn't going to die. The stress and worry gnawing at his insides. He never realised caring for someone would be so difficu- No, he'd not finish that sentence because he wouldn't stop looking out for the Kid. It felt nice to make that lop-sided grin appear on his face, or enjoy his ramblings- however annoying it could get. Tony wouldn't trade it for the world. Though, the one thing he wish he could dispose of: was the way Peter looked so disappointed when he couldn't help Tony, the way he admired Tony and idolised the man. Peter thought 'Mr. Stark' was amazing and every time Tony yelled to the Kid, the look he was given always broke his heart. Sometimes Tony felt like he was a failure whenever Peter looked so broken after he'd yelled at him. God, this was so difficult to cope with and right now, Tony hated how fragile Peter appeared. He looked too young when he shivered under the blankets, eyes squeezed shut and breath shallowly panting.

Glancing at the clock, Tony turned the TV off and settled onto the opposite sofa, albeit cautiously due to Peter's ragged breath concerning him. "FRIDAY dim the lights by eighty-five percent." Which the AI complied and allowed a light orange hue to overcome the room.

Tony was startled awake as soon as he heard screams, he jolted from the sofa and was about to call the Iron Man suit when he glanced around his surroundings; his focus landed on Peter, who was writhing and thrashing in his sleep. Incoherent words spilling through his lips in frantic panic: "Help, I-I can't get u-up! I'm s-stuck, somebody a-anybody help!" Tony easily concluded the effects of a night terror clouding Peter's mind. After moments of wavering confidence, Tony approached Peter tentatively in hopes of dissolving the minor drama- insinuating that Tony could defuse the situation quickly, which even Tony admits makes him skeptical. He calls out to the Kid in the most soothing voice he could muster, while firmly placing his hands on the teen's shoulders- effectively calming Peter somewhat. "Uhh, Pete, it's just a dream. Nothing's really happening. Calm on, you've got to snap out of it." Tony emphasises his point by gently rocking him in an half embrace. Tony didn't have the patience, nor the heart, to feel awkward or embarrass the Kid later: this was serious and Tony needed to sort it out before things got worse. Noticing the first gleams of the sun rising from the horizon, Tony thought that it'd be better for Peter to be awake for the rest of the day. Chocolate brown eyes fluttered open, tears streaking down pudgy cheeks as Peter sniffled and straightened himself to gaze around the room. "Heh, sorry for disturbing you, Mr. Stark." He wheezed humourlessly. Concealing his concern by feigning a humorous vibe as he responded, "Nonsense Kiddo, I was already up so..." Rummaging through the many cupboards, Stark retrieved some headache tablets and medicine for the cold. He snagged a glass from another cupboard and began to fill it with water. Sliding the items towards Peter- Who was now sat up with the blanket wrapped around him in the form of a cocoon. Forcing the pills into his throat, Peter downed them by taking a swig of the contents in the glass; after a few moments of coughing, he then took two spoonfuls of the medicine- his face contorting in disgust at the foul taste.

"I talked to May last night, you are grounded for the next few days. My job is to make sure you recover. Do you want to watch some TV?" In Peter's dazed state, he didn't register the inquiry until Mr. Stark stood in front of him- and even then he had to take a moment to process the words: "Uh, s-sure I don't really mind." He muttered, attempting not to strain his voice. Mr. Stark complied and began to flick through the channels, while settling himself onto the sofa next to Peter. Struggling to keep conscious, Peter found himself slanting towards the nearest support and when he rested his head onto an available surface he didn't expect it to feel muscled nor actually to move. "You all right there, Kiddo?" Suppressing his surprise, Peter simply hummed in confirmation. The throbbing in his head hindering his concentration and the churning in his stomach pestering him. All Peter wanted to do was sleep this horrible sickness away, and Mr. Stark didn't seemed to mind being a human pillow. He better take the chance while it was still free, he guessed absent-mindedly.

When the Kid leant onto his shoulder, Tony interpreted it as Peter being unconscious, but when he received the vague reply he couldn't help the smile that presented itself onto his face. "'Night Pete." He cooed as he heard soft snores drift to his ears. "Good 'ight Dad." Peter slurred, while snuggling closer into Tony's side. The swell of pride in his chest wouldn't disappear even though Peter was necessarily in the right mind, but Tony would deal with every time Peter got sick just to hear him call him the title again. "FRIDAY, save the conversation to my personal folders." He demanded quietly.

"Of course, Boss." The AI complied obediently.

Focusing his attention to the TV, Tony attempted to catch up with the latest news story: "With the Sokovian Accords being in place for over a few months, do you believe that Tony Stark has matured Sheryl?" A reporter inquired, addressing some intelligent woman.  
"I believe that Mr. Stark has shown some responsibility by agreeing to the terms, but I do not think he will be able to change. He will always be a drunken billionaire, because it is in his personality and he will continue to act in such a way regardless of the consequences he experiences-" Before she continue her rant, Tony slammed his hand over the power button and seethed to himself; "Bullshit! And, I haven't even drunk anything in half a year, that's got to be an achievement!"  
"Congratulations Sir, that is an impressive feat," FRIDAY congratulated.  
"Fuck you!" Tony sneered, he cursed himself for programming sassy and sarcastic creations.

* * *

The ending there was slightly rushed, but I felt it conveyed the message as best as I could. I really wanted to include the sleepwalking part of Alana's suggestion, but I'd already spent too long writing this, which almost killed me. Anyway, feedback is always welcomed and I hope you enjoyed this chapter! 'Til next time...

-Kyrani Ervin


	3. Chapter 3

I apologise for the wait, but unfortunately I recently went back to school and I've been piled with a lot of stress. My brother's gone to university, my school's trying to give me a panic attack with GCSEs and lack of inspiration has hindered my punctuality- if I actually had a deadline to conform with. Again, I regret not keeping on top of this, but I can't change that now. Hopefully I can get this finished quickly, so I may concentrate on my studies.

* * *

Chapter 3: Absent Alias

"Can anyone explain and provide evidence for this quote on the board? Turn to page sixteen in the script to find it, you should have been writing notes inside too." The teacher explained while gesturing to the board- neat flowing writing was inscribed onto it. Peter sagged over his desk, releasing a puff of air; his mind wandered away from the English text, as his eyes glanced at the clock. Twenty more minutes of this boredom, then he'll be able to swing above the streets and foil criminal acts! But until then, he attempted to realign his attention to the work currently in front of him. Laboriously, Peter flicked through the pages of the script; while writing up a half decent paragraph, his phone began to vibrate in his pocket. Blinking, he hastily dug into his pocket and peered at the caller ID. Excusing himself from the lesson, Peter made his way to the rest room and hauled himself up in an empty stall. Swiping his finger across the screen, Peter answered the call: "Err, h-hey Happy, not that I don't like you, but you don't usually call during the day and I was kinda busy..." He audibly gulped as his mind generated numerous scenarios that required Spider-Man's assistance. Of course, he'd enjoy the possibility of being able to join Mr. Stark on a new Avengers mission, but he knew that his education was supposed to be his top priority.

"Well tough luck Kid, but Tony decided to make me inform you that you're needed at the Avengers Facility. He's set up a meet and greet thing and I'm supposed to pick you up after school." Happy stated, grumbling to himself and people that must have been around him.

"B-but Happy, you can't pick me up right in front of school. It'll make- It'll make people suspicious! And, what about Aunt May?" He stuttered out, but his argument was thwarted as he heard the constant thrum on the opposite end. Happy had hung up on him. Hanging his head in dejection to his future fate, Peter dragged himself back to class. Ned hovered over Peter as he tried to finish his work; "What was that about? Is it an Avengers mission!?" His giddy babbling consuming Peter's patience. Forcing himself to calm his nerves, Peter turned to his best friend- "Ned- Ned, it's nothing important. I'm just meeting people apparently." He stated, uncertain about the 'meeting'. He hadn't thought about the intentions behind this sudden assembly of superheroes, which peaked his nerves.

"Do you think you'd be able to meet Black Widow? Maybe the Hulk! Oh, what about Thor!? Neither of those last two have been seen recently. Just imagine what you could do with them!" Ned rambled, an awed expression gracing his features.  
Peter groaned softly while frowning at his friend, "I doubt they'd just randomly show up only to meet me..."  
"D'you think they will let you on bigger missions? Tell you some bad ass secret? Maybe involve you in some awesome hero team up!?"  
"Again doubtable," Peter quipped absent-mindedly.

Shifting in his seat, Ned leaned closer attempting to observe Peter's work while seeking his attention. "What's the matter, Ned?" Peter asked, an irritated clipped tone smearing over his words; although, the words didn't hold an malice or hatred against his best friend, simply a tired snap. Ned understood, of course, by phrasing his words with no hint of hurt or guilt: " I was wondering, you see, when will I get to go to the Avengers Facility to- ya know- be your 'Guy In The Chair'?"

Peter decided to abandon his work to stare wide eyed at Ned; "Seriously, that's what you want to do, I bet it's just so you can fanboy ove-" He clamped his mouth shut as Michelle- no, MJ- strolled over to their work bench, a few books and her pencil case held tightly against her chest. She sat adjacent to Peter, regarding him in an inquisitive manner: head tilted to the side and lips jutted out slightly, as if she was trying to stop words from forming. Which made everything worse... Silent intrusion always left Peter feeling uncomfortable. He didn't cave in to her silent interrogation, focusing solely on his work again.

"Ahem, wanna explain to me what Nerd Two was 'going' to fanboy over?" She raised one eyebrow as she looked at 'Nerd Two' unamused.  
"Err, not really, but if you insist-" MJ glared at him "-The new Lego Star Wars set is coming out soon, he really wants it and was wondering if I was going to help him with it." Internally Peter breathed a sigh of relief as he managed to evade Michelle's question flawlessly, feigning a casual and slightly guilty air to him: as though he had just ratted out Ned's biggest secret, even though nearly everyone knew of his obsession with the brick building. And yet, she still looked suspicious. Damn. Peter cursed lightly to himself. Luckily, she brushed it off and ceased to question them anymore, resolving to concentrate on her work; Peter and Ned did the same, a light conversation flowing between the two of random topics that seemed to sprout from their lips.

Thankfully, the rest of the lesson sped past quickly, allowing Peter to be reminded of the 'meeting' which seemed like a punch to the gut. Darting through the crowded hallways, Peter managed to escape with no encounters from Flash, a triumph in itself! However, he still managed to knock into Michelle on his way to the main doors; Upon contact, both stumbled backwards slightly- a stunned expression gracing both their faces. Peter averted his gaze, a tinge of red dusting his cheeks; "Oh god, I-I'm so sorry, I was in a rush a-and I wasn't l-looking where I-I was going!" He quickly stammered out: talking to girls still made me really nervous...  
"Hey cool it Dork, It's fine. Y'just caught me off guard, that's all." She replied patiently. The fact that she admitted to Peter that she was surprised sent him into another wave of spluttered apologies. A small smirk tugged at the corners of her lips, while she patted his shoulder as she passed: "Don't worry about it."

Sunlight bombarded his eyes as Peter pushed through the doors of his school. Squinting, in an attempt to adjust to the brightness, Peter began to walk cautiously along the pavement; his eyes searching for a certain vehicle. He felt the hairs on his neck itch against his skin, as he wandered away from the school. He hoped that if he was a decent distance away, then his peers were less likely to find out that he road around in an expensive limo. Peter did have an image to keep after all: not many nerds were rich during secondary school. Separating his vigilante and normal life would benefit those around him, and his vigilante life included Tony Stark and the Avengers. He knew he couldn't avoid them, but he also acknowledged why he was needed. By rejecting Mr. Stark's offer to become an Avenger, Mr. Stark provided an alternative: Becoming a substitute Avenger- or how Mr. Stark dubbed it, the Part-time Avenger. Peter guessed that the 'meeting' was for him to introduce himself to the team and to familiarise himself with them. He only hoped that he didn't embarrass himself. Of course, he would be wearing his costume while at the Avengers Compound, because the other Avengers didn't know his civilian identity. As he spotted the familiar black limousine and quietly entered the vehicle, Peter continued to stress over the possibilities.

Silence consumed the space of the limo, suffocating the occupants the entire journey to the Avengers Compound. As the vehicle came to an abrupt halt at the correct destination, Happy twisted round to face the nervous teen: "Look, Peter, all that's going to happen is some friendly conversations. No one's going to be judging you or testing you. Now get changed before you leave the car." Despite the monotone voice, Peter felt oddly comforted. The screen-permitting Peter a clear view of the front seat- rolled up sluggishly, allowing Peter to change into his Spider-Man uniform without interruption. Giving Happy a faint smile before pulling the mask over his face, Peter leapt out of the vehicle and made his way into the building, a slight jitter in his step- displaying his nervous energy in volumes.

"Welcome Spider-Man, I have been instructed to guide you to the common area," the computerised voice of FRIDAY echoed across the entrance, Peter cringed in response to the loudness. Holding up a thumbs up, he made his way to the desired location and hesitated. Nervously tapping his index finger against his thigh, he considered turning around and going home. Perhaps even patrol like usual. But, if he did decide to bail now, he would be disappointing and humiliating Mr. Stark. He trusted Peter by allowing him to meet his closest allies! Forcing the lump that was lodged in his throat by swallowing thickly, Peter pressed his palm to the light maple door and strode cautiously into the room.

Upon entering the room, Peter was greeted to an empty atmosphere: no one was anywhere in his line of sight. Creasing his brow in confusion, he approached the counter top- gazing around the location occasionally- and placed his bag on the polished marble surface. Rummaging through the contents of his bag, Peter laid his school homework across the counter top and began to progress through it slowly as he waited. Chewing his lip, as he scratched his pencil into the papers, Peter became completely consumed in his task and with his mind engrossed with the task at hand, all his senses were dulled from his surroundings. Shifting on the stool, Peter continued to wait, averting his gaze from his work to glare at clock. The constant tick digging into his mind, ingraining the sound as Peter began to tap his foot in sync to the pointer adjusting position.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed across the floor, numerous people approached the door. Springing to his feet, Peter hastily gathered his belongings and stuffed them back into his back pack. The door swung open and a man with chocolate skin wheeled into the room; his arms twisted around to push the wheel chair he was strapped to. "Uh, hey! I'm supposed to be meeting some people- ah, Mr. Stark sent me... I'm Spider-Man," Peter spluttered as he flailed his arms about in panic and he repeatedly indicated to the spider sprawled chest. The Wheel Chair Guy simply stared at him with his jar slightly agape.

After a few more moments of spluttering explanations, The Wheel Chair Guy waved his hands forcefully in front of Spider-Man: "Dude, would you calm down!?" Clamping his mouth shut, Spider-Man twitched nervously as he eyed the dark skinned, wheel chair bound man. Peering at the red and blue webbed spandex wearing vigilante, he stared incredulously as he inquired; "You the Spider-Man? Fuck, man, you sound like a twelve year old kid who hasn't had his balls dropped yet!" Squawking indignantly, while Wheel Chair Guy quirked a grin- relaxing in his mobile chair as the Spider-Kid rambled on about height and puberty.

After an awkward lapse of silence with Spider-Man fidgeting and averting his masked eyes, he finally managed to form the words he had been pondering about in his mind: "So, err, w-where're the rest of the Avengers? A-and who're you, I didn't exactly meet you without a-a mask? Oh, are you that crazy cat guy!?" He babbled excitedly, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. Shocked spluttering greeted his enhanced hearing, as the guy in the wheel chair reeled back with a hand clamped firmly over his mouth- in an attempt to muffle his laughter. "The name's James Rhodes, but I'd prefer it if you called me Rhodey. I'm War Machine, Kid."

"Ahh, that's so cool! I remember you now, from when you fell to the ground- I- err- I mean, I'm sorry for your legs and all, but you were really awesome!" Spider-Man's wide- awe filled- eyes generated a sad smile from Rhodey as he remembered the incident.  
"Eh, please don't sweat it, I appreciate you being my fan!" His mouth tugged upwards in a wide grin. "As for the other Avengers, well, Vision will probably phase through the wall-"  
"Oohhh- Holy shit!" The Kid leapt from his previous position in front of Rhodey to the ceiling, as he gawked at the red skinned man who appeared suddenly from the sink. "I apologise for startling you, but I was informed you would be aware of my appearance. Greetings Spider-Man, my name is Vision." The newly introduced android alien spoke slowly, drawing out each word with no emotion. His head tilted slightly as he gazed at the ceiling with something akin to confusion briefly flashing across his eyes.

"I was informed by Mr. Stark that we were to be more acquainted by your presence." Vision stated while floating around the room. Peter slowly returned to the floor, hesitantly eyeing Vision while Rhodey rolled his eyes: "As a part-time Avenger, it's out job to show you the ropes and all. Whatever you need help with, we'll give you a hand when we can." He elaborated while stirring himself towards the table, which previously was scattered with books and papers. "I saw you working on some homework-" Peter gave him an alarmed look, albeit disguised by his mask, as Rhodey began dragging all the books out of the discarded bag- "Don't worry kid, I make sure not to find out your identity and if it does slip into my eye sight, I've never heard the name before." He assured firmly, an arm stretched over the name as he opened several books.

"Y-you'd help me with h-homework?" Spider-Man squeaked, swiftly perching on a stool next to Rhodey. His concealed eyes never straying from Rhodey's face- whether in curiosity or caution, Rhodey didn't voice. The kid shivered in barely contained energy- Rhodey guessed as nervous energy, considering what Tony had told him of the kid- as he flicked through a History book.

"Heh, not what I had in mind, but I guess it wouldn't hurt to try and help. Mind you, I'm no good with Science, that's Tony's niche really." That sentence managed to elect a slight snort from the teen, which Rhodey guessed as the kid lightening up around them. "You know anything about world war two?" Spider-Man inquired as he grasped a pen in hand and began to work on a presentation.

Tony entered the elevator with a cup of coffee in hand and a pair of sun glasses limply hanging from his opposite hand. Tapping his foot on the floor repeatedly, Tony instructed FRIDAY to get the elevator to floor 50. He glanced at his expensive watch impatiently while the elevator moved sluggishly. He was aware that Peter, Rhodey and Vision were probably socialising awkwardly, attempting to get to know each other without exposing Peter's identity, and he knew Peter would make it awkward due to the fact that he was a quiet and reserved teenager. And god, Tony did not want to walk out of the elevator greeted to the awkward atmosphere. Hopefully, they managed to figure out a comfortable conversational topic that did not include belittling Tony: Rhodey knew a lot of things that were embarrassing and he did not want the Kid to hear any of it. The Kid idolised him and he liked the idea of Peter staring wide eyed in awe at everything he did. Rhodey would not dare tarnish that for him, god damn it!

Tony was snapped out of his internal monologue as the elevator pinged and the doors gradually opened, revealing a surprising sight: Spider-Kid leaning forward on his stool, staring intently as Rhodey spoke animatedly on some crazy mission he accompanied Tony on. Both were so consumed by the tale that neither noticed Tony's entrance. He rested his elbow on a counter, cupping his head in the hand, while the other arm hung limply from the surface- his cup swiftly discarded in the nearest waste bin. Empty of course, Tony would never waste coffee. A soft smile curved onto his face as he watched Peter snicker over Rhodey's poor attempt at a villain's voice. Despite Peter being 15, he sure as hell acted like an innocent kid and that's a rarity in the vigilante business.

Glancing at the clock hesitantly, Tony breathed quietly to himself. Wandering up to the pair, Tony stated: "Alright Kiddo, May'll be worried if you don't head off now." The groan emitted from the spider-themed vigilante didn't placate Tony- a slight bubble of guilt in his stomach, however- as he began to usher the teen to tidy up. Rhodey and Peter departed with a friendly fist pump and a promise to meet up again. Peter skipped towards the elevator with Tony in tow with his bag. At the door, Peter spun round and embraced Tony in a quick and tight hug, chirping: "Thanks dad, this has been the best visit ever!" before snatching his bag from Tony's outstretched hand and descending in the elevator.

Rhodey spluttered shocked, while Tony stood frozen in his spot when Peter left. "Holy shit, did he- did I- were you just called dad!?" Rhodey's entire face seemed to have been devoured by an ear-splitting grin as he strode up to Tony and slapped in on the back. "Congratulations Tones!" He swiftly retreated into another room as Tony began to curse at his form.

* * *

Crappy ending I know, but I've delayed this so much and I believe you guys deserve some sort of update before I work on the next chapter for months. Anyway, I finally managed to finish this and now I'm going to wait patiently for feedback...

Oh, my mind's ran into a ditch, anyone want to bring forth an idea to help nudge me onto another short story for this? I do want to finish this and get onto more bigger projects!

Thank you for your time,

-Kyrani Ervin


End file.
